“I’ll live to fix Minna yet.”

“What fixed you,” snapped Stull, “was that there Brookhollow stuff––”

“Can it!” retorted Brandes, turning a deep red. 277

“Aw—don’t hand me the true-love stuff, Eddie! If you’d meant it with that little haymaker you’d have respected her––”

Brandes’ large face became crimson with rage:

“You say another word about her and I’ll push your block off—you little dough-faced kike!”

Stull shrugged and presently whispered to Curfoot:

“That’s the play he always makes. I’ve waited two years, but he won’t ring down on the love stuff. I guess he was hit hard that trip. It took a little red-headed, freckled country girl to stop him. But it was comin’ to Eddie Brandes, and it certainly looks like it was there to stay a while.”

“He’s still stuck on her?”

“I guess she’s still the fly paper,” nodded Stull.